Solar Vent that threads into Dorade?

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by mjgill1

So you're saying that the threaded portion of the bottom of your fan threads right in to where your cowl would normally go?

Yes. My cowl vent and the Nicro fan happen to have the same thread dimension.

Check the dimension of the threads of your cowl vent with that of the Nicro fan. You should be able to find Nicro fans on the shelves of a marine supply store local to you.

The current models (which are subtly different from those I bought a dozen years or so ago) apparently come with a threaded deck plate - if that thread is the same as your cowl vent plate, you're in business. See: Day/Night Solar Vent, 4" Stainless Steel | Marinco

[Dougtiff]

Best to have the solar vent,s sucking dead air out of the boat, not sucking in, as there is always enough venting to draw fresh air in, i do this on my wooden boat,s.

[Redline452]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

In your experience, Rob, what fails?

I've gone from the original Nicro solarvents to the "newer" Nicro/Marinco as the first ones' brushes wore out after ~10 years; the newer motors also failed in a much shorter time. I managed to cannibalize enough parts from a half-dozen units to resurrect two of them, but they definitely aren't the same quality as they used to be. Looking for a good source of replacement motors (size & voltage) for next time...


That aside, the solarvents are a great product, keep the boat fresh and dry.


Redline has an original square "Powervent" in the forward head (which makes the shower actually usable), two round solarvents in the main cabin, plus one in the hatch of the sail locker. Had a couple on the previous boat as well, only wish they would last longer.

[DMCantor]

We've gone back and forth on this. In dry locales, like Curaçao, airflow through the cabin is a plus (ignoring the omnipresent dust). In places more humid, we use dessicant to keep the humidity down, and airflow from the outside is the last thing we want.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

In your experience, Rob, what fails?

I've replaced the batteries (NiMH batteries, which I buy from Jaycar) a time or three over the past dozen or more years, but the rest is still working.

Ditto on the batteries, but they are consumables, one solar panel and two motors. They just aint what they used to be. When purchased the boat had three of the original variety that worked well but the UV attacked the plastic and they progressively broke apart, hence the newer ones.

[Rowglide]

Just thinking... so be nice.
Could a small fan (low voltage, suitable for solar) be placed in the inside tube of the dorade (airway into cabin) and a small, but big enough solar panel be placed on the flat end of the dorade box on the exterior? The wire could simply run through the dorade with a small switch inside to reverse polarity and direction.
Or is this entirely out to lunch?
Jim
Oh and add a couple of rechargeable batteries in there somewhere...

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Rowglide

Just thinking... so be nice.
Could a small fan (low voltage, suitable for solar) be placed in the inside tube of the dorade (airway into cabin) and a small, but big enough solar panel be placed on the flat end of the dorade box on the exterior? The wire could simply run through the dorade with a small switch inside to reverse polarity and direction.
Or is this entirely out to lunch?
Jim
Oh and add a couple of rechargeable batteries in there somewhere...

I thought of something like that- maybe using a computer fan but how effective would it be?

It would draw much current so why not run it off the house battery rather than going to the expense and trouble of installing a solar panel?

Just thinking!

Clive